Lanka drops plan to buy fighters from Pak after Indian objects?
Posted on January 10th, 2016
Courtesy Adederana
The Sunday Express has learnt that New Delhi shot off a diplomatic missive a few weeks ago to Colombo on why it should not buy the JF-17 Thunder, including a negative technical assessment of the aircraft. It was also pointed out that the country’s defence requirements did not need fighters.
While questions were raised in Sri Lanka too about the reported $400-million deal, India’s forceful opposition, conveyed through a non-paper, was one of the likely reasons that made Sri Lanka drop the plan for now.
The Pakistani media were reporting that the deal for JF-17s would be signed during Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s three-day visit to Colombo which ended Wednesday.
Despite its own financial crunch, Pakistan was also said to be ready to extend a line of credit to Sri Lanka for the aircraft.
On Tuesday, Sharif and Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, who is also the Defence Minister, signed agreements under eight heads in Colombo, but the sale of aircraft was not one of them.
January 10th, 2016 at 5:09 pm
India has no right to point out fighters are not required by Sri Lanka. Who the hell is India to decide what Sri Lanka needs? That is purely a domestic decision. Sri Lanka needs good interceptors and anti-aircraft missiles to avoid the repetition of June 1987 Indian invasion.
However, $400 million for 8 Pakistani and Chinese jointly made jets is far too much.
January 10th, 2016 at 7:33 pm
Indian interference in our cabinet decisions is VERY DISCONCERTING.
We are once again being led by the Indian Pied Piper.
Our government is being turned into (or revealing itself to be) a sagging mass of flesh being kept straight by a backbone bearing the label ‘MADE IN INDIA.
This does not forebode any good for the projected new constitution which could itself well turn out to be a ‘MADE IN INDIA’
Mario Perera
Kadawata
January 11th, 2016 at 9:37 am
new constitution-‘MADE IN INDIA’
spot on ! now you know why our Thesiya Thalavar VP did not take NEP in golden plate give by india becuase We-ilankai Thamilar are proud to be Mother Lanka !!!